Death and Taxes

The Scandal of Grace

The Scandal of Grace Sunset Church Download [https://static1.squarespace.com/static/672bed3f9b037d4a095671a1/t/6a1c87ee5e5c2112d8e51fa9/1780254828574/5.31.2026+The+Scandal+Of+Grace.m4a]   MATTHEW 20:1-16 (ESV) Laborers in the Vineyard “For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ So the last will be first, and the first last.” ---------------------------------------- Study Guide Questions: *

Entering the Kingdom

Entering The Kingdom Sunset Church Download [https://static1.squarespace.com/static/672bed3f9b037d4a095671a1/t/6a135995e33b461bb0d67a18/1779653125055/5.24.2026+Entering+the+Kingdom.m4a]   MATTHEW 19:13-30 (ESV) Let the Children Come to Me Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” And he laid his hands on them and went away. The Rich Young Man And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first. ---------------------------------------- Study Guide Questions: Observation Questions Observation Questions focus on gathering facts and identifying key details. This can include repeated words, themes, and characters). Observation asks "what does the text say?" not "what does the text mean?" It is not intended to go into interpretation or life application yet. Observations provide a crucial foundation for accurate interpretation and application, preventing misconceptions. * How did Jesus respond when the disciples tried to stop people from bringing children to Him, and what did He say about the kingdom of heaven? * What two commandments did Jesus highlight to the rich young ruler, and what did He ultimately ask him to do? * How did Jesus describe the difficulty of a rich person entering the kingdom of heaven, and what analogy did He use? Interpretation Questions Interpretation Questions focus on interpreting what has been observed. The goal is to try to understand the original author's intended meaning and purpose for the intended audience. Interpretation bridges observations with life applications. It will consider key terms, explores context, and answers "why" to uncover the main point. * Why did Jesus use children—who had no social standing or resources—as the model for kingdom entrance, rather than someone with achievements or moral credentials? * The rich young ruler claimed to have kept the commandments, yet Jesus told him to sell his possessions. How does this reveal the difference between outward obedience and inward idolatry? * Jesus said salvation is “impossible with man” but “possible with God.” How does this statement confront our natural tendency to rely on self-effort or merit? * What does the analogy of a camel passing through a needle’s eye teach about the relationship between human ability and divine intervention? Life Application Questions Life Application questions are intended to transform knowledge gleaned from observations and interpretations to practical application in your life. These questions are intended to move the facilitator and the participant from understanding what the text meant to how it applies to daily life. Life application questions are intended to transform listeners into doers, bridging biblical truth with current circumstances to foster personal transformation and spiritual maturity. * In what areas of your life do you still approach God with a “negotiating posture” (e.g., relying on religious habits, moral track records, or achievements) instead of childlike dependence? How can you actively shift that posture this week? * Jesus warned that wealth can make us feel like we don’t need saving. What practical steps could you take to ensure money or comfort doesn’t dull your desperation for God? (Examples: Giving generously, fasting from convenience, etc.) * The rich young ruler walked away sorrowful because he couldn’t release his grip on possessions. What is one thing you’re clinging to (e.g., reputation, control, financial security) that might be hindering you from fully trusting Jesus?

Singleness

Singleness Sunset Church Download [https://static1.squarespace.com/static/672bed3f9b037d4a095671a1/t/6a0b4f367ba478230151a469/1779126183844/5.17.2026+Singleness.m4a]   MATTHEW 19:10-12 (ESV) The disciples said to him, “If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry.” But he said to them, “Not everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given. For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it.” ---------------------------------------- Study Guide Questions: Observation Questions Observation Questions focus on gathering facts and identifying key details. This can include repeated words, themes, and characters). Observation asks "what does the text say?" not "what does the text mean?" It is not intended to go into interpretation or life application yet. Observations provide a crucial foundation for accurate interpretation and application, preventing misconceptions. * What three categories of singleness (eunuchs) does Jesus identify in Matthew 19:12, and how might these relate to modern experiences of singleness? * How does Jesus contrast the disciples’ view of marriage with God’s design for both marriage and singleness in this passage * What does Jesus mean by “Let the one who is able to receive this receive it” (v. 12), and how does this clarify the nature of singleness as a calling? Interpretation Questions Interpretation Questions focus on interpreting what has been observed. The goal is to try to understand the original author's intended meaning and purpose for the intended audience. Interpretation bridges observations with life applications. It will consider key terms, explores context, and answers "why" to uncover the main point. * Why might Jesus have decided to use the metaphor of eunuchs—a group historically excluded from religious community—to reframe singleness? What does this reveal about God’s heart for those who feel like outsiders? * How does prioritizing the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 6:33) reshape our understanding of both marriage and singleness? What might it look like for someone to “love the design but never more than the Designer”? * In Matthew 19:10-12, Jesus responds to the disciples’ discouragement about marriage by affirming singleness. How does this shift in focus address deeper cultural or spiritual misunderstandings about human worth and purpose? [06:14] Life Application Questions Life Application questions are intended to transform knowledge gleaned from observations and interpretations to practical application in your life. These questions are intended to move the facilitator and the participant from understanding what the text meant to how it applies to daily life. Life application questions are intended to transform listeners into doers, bridging biblical truth with current circumstances to foster personal transformation and spiritual maturity. * For those who are single: How can you actively embrace your current season as an opportunity to pursue “undistracted devotion” to God (1 Corinthians 7:35), even if it feels difficult or unwanted? What practical steps could help you lean into this calling? * For those who are married: In what ways might your words, actions, or assumptions unintentionally make single individuals feel like “second-class citizens” in the church? How can you intentionally affirm their dignity and belonging this week? * The sermon mentions that singleness can result from birth, brokenness, or deliberate choice. How can your small group create space to honor and support people in each of these categories without reducing their stories to “problems to solve”? * Jesus calls singleness a gift but acknowledges it is not for everyone. How can you discern whether God is inviting you to receive this gift in your current season? What fears or desires might you need to surrender to Him in this process? * The church is called to “labor together” as a family. What is one way you can intentionally include a single person in your spiritual or relational rhythms (e.g., meals, mentorship, ministry partnerships) to reflect God’s inclusive love? * How might Romans 8:18 (“the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the glory that is to be revealed”) reshape your perspective on the challenges of singleness or other unmet longings? What would it look like to hold both grief and hope in tension?

Divine Design: Marriage and Divorce

Divine Design: Marriage and Divorce Sunset Church Download [https://static1.squarespace.com/static/672bed3f9b037d4a095671a1/t/6a00e8c0e4ef4c5b2ba70df8/1778444600200/5.10.2026+Divine+Design+-+Marriage+and+Divorce.m4a]   MATTHEW 19:1-9 (ESV) Teaching About Divorce Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. And large crowds followed him, and he healed them there. And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, “Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?” He answered, “Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” They said to him, “Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?” He said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so. And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery.” ---------------------------------------- Study Guide Questions: Observation Questions Observation Questions focus on gathering facts and identifying key details. This can include repeated words, themes, and characters). Observation asks "what does the text say?" not "what does the text mean?" It is not intended to go into interpretation or life application yet. Observations provide a crucial foundation for accurate interpretation and application, preventing misconceptions. * When asked about divorce, Jesus redirects the conversation to God’s design for marriage in Genesis. What specific details does He highlight about marriage’s purpose and permanence? * How does Jesus contrast Moses’ allowance for divorce with God’s original design? * What two biblical allowances for divorce are explicitly named in Scripture? Interpretation Questions Interpretation Questions focus on interpreting what has been observed. The goal is to try to understand the original author's intended meaning and purpose for the intended audience. Interpretation bridges observations with life applications. It will consider key terms, explores context, and answers "why" to uncover the main point. * Why does Jesus focus on God’s design for marriage (Genesis 1-2) rather than directly answering the Pharisees’ question about divorce laws? * How does hard heartedness reflect humanity’s brokenness? How might a “soft heart” (transformed by the gospel) change how we approach marital conflict? Life Application Questions Life Application questions are intended to transform knowledge gleaned from observations and interpretations to practical application in your life. These questions are intended to move the facilitator and the participant from understanding what the text meant to how it applies to daily life. Life application questions are intended to transform listeners into doers, bridging biblical truth with current circumstances to foster personal transformation and spiritual maturity. * The sermon emphasizes that marriage creates a “new, one-flesh reality.” What practical steps can married individuals take to prioritize their spouse over parental relationships or other loyalties? * Forgiveness in marriage is described as a “slow labor” requiring repentance and time . If you’ve been deeply hurt in a relationship, how can you discern when to pursue reconciliation versus when to set boundaries for safety or healing? * For those who have experienced divorce or know someone who has: How does the truth that “Christ never divorces his bride” offer hope and reshape how we view God’s grace in the midst of failure? * Where does God's gift of grace fit into your view of your relationships?

Hurt

Hurt Sunset Church Download [https://static1.squarespace.com/static/672bed3f9b037d4a095671a1/t/69f7bea78f8b946e8fcc7823/1777844034197/5.3.2026+Hurt.m4a]   MATTHEW 18:15-35 (ESV) If Your Brother Sins Against You “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times. “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’ So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place. Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” ---------------------------------------- Study Guide Questions: Observation Questions Observation Questions focus on gathering facts and identifying key details. This can include repeated words, themes, and characters). Observation asks "what does the text say?" not "what does the text mean?" It is not intended to go into interpretation or life application yet. Observations provide a crucial foundation for accurate interpretation and application, preventing misconceptions. * What are some observations from this passage? * According to Matthew 18:15-17, what are the escalating steps Jesus instructs for addressing sin between believers? * In the parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:23-35), why does the king forgive the servant’s massive debt, and how does the servant respond to a smaller debt owed to him? * What warning does Jesus give at the end of the parable about forgiveness (Matthew 18:35)? * How does Jesus describe the purpose of confronting someone privately in Matthew 18:15? Interpretation Questions Interpretation Questions focus on interpreting what has been observed. The goal is to try to understand the original author's intended meaning and purpose for the intended audience. Interpretation bridges observations with life applications. It will consider key terms, explores context, and answers "why" to uncover the main point. * Why do you think Jesus emphasizes starting reconciliation privately (Matthew 18:15) rather than publicly? What might happen if this step is skipped? * Jesus says to treat an unrepentant person “as a Gentile and a tax collector” (Matthew 18:17). How does this instruction balance accountability with compassion, given how Jesus interacted with Gentiles and tax collectors in other parts of Scripture? * What does the contrast between the two debts reveal about the relationship between receiving God’s forgiveness and extending forgiveness to others? * How does the promise of Jesus’ presence “where two or three are gathered” (Matthew 18:20) relate to the church’s role in addressing sin? Life Application Questions Life Application questions are intended to transform knowledge gleaned from observations and interpretations to practical application in your life. These questions are intended to move the facilitator and the participant from understanding what the text meant to how it applies to daily life. Life application questions are intended to transform listeners into doers, bridging biblical truth with current circumstances to foster personal transformation and spiritual maturity. * Is there a relationship in your life where you’ve avoided addressing a hurt or sin privately? What practical step could you take this week to initiate a humble, restorative conversation? * When have you struggled to forgive someone repeatedly? How might meditating on the “unpayable debt” God forgave you (Matthew 18:24-27) soften your heart toward that person? * Have you ever treated someone as “unreachable” after they refused to repent? How can you still reflect God’s love to them while honoring the need for boundaries? * What tangible reminder (e.g., Scripture, prayer, journaling) could you use to regularly reflect on God’s forgiveness and avoid becoming like the unforgiving servant?